Chapter 10: Kanda's Return

I collapse on the floor of the training room, out of breath and sweaty. I stare up at the ceiling for a few minutes before closing my eyes. Several people I've said that I'd probably make an excellent exorcist. I train almost constantly, when I'm not helping people. I'm faster than almost anyone else here, finders and exorcists included, and I'm really good at dodging, and I know all the weak points of Akuma…I know just about everything that an exorcist should ever have to know. But I'll probably never be an exorcist.

"Hey, kiddo," Roger says as he comes into the training room. I open my eyes and sit up, twisting to look at him. "I thought you'd be downstairs by now."

"Why would I be downstairs by now?" I wonder.

"Kanda's due back any minute," he says. My eyes almost bulge out of my head. I'd forgotten that Kanda's coming back today! Innocence!

I jump up and bolt out of the training room, speeding down flights of stairs until I get to the dock underneath the castle, just as Kanda's boat comes up to the dock. "Kanda!" I jump up and down. He doesn't even look at me before tossing the Innocence he gathered at me.

"Take that to Hebreska, will you?" he says. He doesn't wait for a response, just continues on past me and up the stairs.

"Gru-um-py," I say in an almost sing-song voice. But I look down at the Innocence in my hand and can't help but smile. I don't even really know why, but for some reason, I'm suddenly really excited. I bite my lower lip, bouncing up and down slightly for a minute before turning and hurrying up the stairs and to Hebreska.

"Hebreska!" I call the platform elevator rises up. "I have Kanda's Innocence!" I inform Hebreska as the strange creature spirals up to greet me and absorbs the innocence.

"No, child," Hebreska disagrees. "You have your Innocence."

I stare at Hebreska. Blink. "Wait, seriously?" I ask, looking back up at Hebreska. I don't know if Hebreska's really capable of laughing, but it sure seems like she is for second.

"Yes, child. You are compatible with this Innocence."

"But-but-but-but-"

My eyes widen as the Innocence floats back out of Hebreska again, this time in its Akuma weapon form. It's too small for me to make out what it is until it's right in front of me, floating down into my outstretched hands. Once it lands in my palms, I look closer at it. It looks like a really long ribbon, folded up and up neatly in the palm of my hand.

"I have Innocence?" I whisper in disbelief, staring down at the black ribbon in my hand. Then I grin and cheer as loud as I can, "I HAVE INNOCENCE!"

"There you are," Leenalee says as she comes over to the table I'm sitting on top of in the cafeteria. I look up at her with wide eyes and a mouth filled with cookie.

"Whaf?" I ask.

"Oh, don't talk with your mouth full!" she laughs. I point to one of the scientists I'm sitting with – I don't even bother to look which one I'm pointing at.

"Blame him," I mumble, before swallowing. "What's up?"

"Allen just got back," Leenalee smiles.

"Oh!" I cram the last few bites of my cookie in my mouth as I scramble off the table and run as fast as I can out of the cafeteria. I've been dying waiting for Allen to come back so that I can tell him that I finally have my Innocence…Because now I can be an exorcist!

I find Allen, and Lavi, in the entry way, probably on their way to Hebreska. I ignore Lavi because I know he'll ignore me anyway, like he always has, and run right up to Allen.

"Allen, Allen, Allen!" I say quickly, grinning, bouncing up and down on the balls of my feet.

"I'll catch up with you later, man," Lavi says to Allen, clearly in a hurry to get as far away from me as possible, as quickly as possible.

"Yeah, see you," Allen says to Lavi before turning to me. "What are you so excited?" he asks me.

"Caaaause," I giggle, still bouncing. "Kanda came back while you were gone…"

"Oh really? He's not in the cafeteria, is he? I'm hungry and I don't really want to risk having to fight for my food."

I laugh, but shake my head, "No, he had to leave again. He came back a while ago. But that's not the point!"

Allen laughs, "Okay, okay, so what is the point?"

"Kanda found my Innocence! I can become an Exorcist now!"

PS Sorry it's short, but don't worry, it's just going to get better from here, because I'M FREAKING BACK! Gods, it feels good to be able to write again.